Oratory Newsletter

Since our last newsletter we have lost to our earthly company two giants of the Church: Pope Benedict XVI and Cardinal George Pell.  It was a bitter pill to lose them both so close together.  Funeral rites have been celebrated for both, and we had our own Requiem Masses for each of them.  We continue to entrust them to the mercy of the Lord, and we pray that their purification will be accomplished swiftly.  Much has been said and written about both of them, and of the significant contribution they made to the Church of our times.  Their legacies will live on in many ways, and thinking about the ways they each co-operated with grace and truth is a challenge to each of us to live our faith as fully as possible, and to – in our own ways – leave a lasting, positive legacy for those who will come after us.

With the Christmas decorations now securely away for a bit, we have begun the Lenten path to Easter.  Lent is a great time to revitalise our prayer routines: fixing up any negligence that might have crept in, and taking on extra things.  It is a great thing to try to be at daily Mass during Lent when possible.  Communally we also have the Stations of the Cross on the Fridays of Lent at 7:30pm.  Fr Conor will also lead another Lenten Bible Vigil on Wednesday 22 March at 7:30pm.

We warmly invite you to our Lenten Musical Oratory on Wednesday 15 March at 7:00pm.  More details are elsewhere in this newsletter.

Fr Scot’s popular adult faith formation talks have resumed.  Please see the weekly parish bulletin for dates and times.

The preparation programme for First Confession and First Holy Communion begin this month.  This year we have also added to our offerings a time of children’s catechesis offered by Fr Conor on Wednesday afternoons.

A few feasts allow a little respite in our Lenten observances.  On St Patrick’s Day,  Friday 17 March, we will have a dance in the evening;  St Joseph’s feast is moved this year to Monday 20 March;  and then we have the feast of the Annunciation on Saturday 25 March.

At the Brisbane Oratory we are committed to providing Liturgy that is prayerful, beautiful, and reverent.  Sacred music is an essential part of that, and we are pleased to be able to include in our Masses and at Vespers some of the treasury of sacred music that belongs to our tradition.  A commitment to beautiful liturgy and especially to music naturally comes with some cost as we secure musicians who can commit to our liturgical program and who have the necessary skills.  To help us in this, and to meet all the other financial commitments of the parish, we have been asking parishioners in recent weeks to commit to some regular gift to the parish, or to slightly increase their giving to the parish if they are already doing so.  One way of giving to the parish is via a regular direct deposit to the Annerley Ekibin Parish account BSB 064786 Acc 100024356.  Please contact us regarding other ways of giving to the parish.

We take this opportunity to sincerely thank everyone who is so generous in financially supporting both the Brisbane Oratory and our Parish, and we are particularly grateful for your prayers, especially for the successful establishment of the Brisbane Oratory.

Fr Adrian Sharp
      Moderator

Recorded in the rule of the Oratory is St Philip’s desire that the fathers and the faithful would rouse themselves to the contemplation of heavenly things by means of musical harmony.  Since the end of contemplation is divine love, St Philip wished to make use of the power of music to elicit and increase within us the love of God. These sentiments have continued to be expressed by the Church herself.  How many have heard beautiful music from the treasury of the Church and been inspired as a result? Not unlike our own times, in the 16th century the state of sacred music had degraded and the ability of music to raise our hearts to God was impacted as a result. St Philip himself was involved in the revival of this sacred art and we can learn from him how to restore sacred music to its rightful place today.

At the time of St Philip several problems had arisen, the sacred music of the Church was infiltrated by music in a secular style, debasing the sacred mysteries of the Liturgy and impacting the power of music to move us to God. In response St Philip sponsored and promoted sacred musical works at the Oratory. Here they fostered daily music and singing and encouraging great musicians such as Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina and the lesser known, but just as great, Giovanni Animuccia, both of whom played central roles in music at the Oratory in St Philip’s time.

While these composers are known for their great polyphonic Masses which inspire us with the majesty of God, they also composed music of a simpler style which can help us grow in deeper devotion. St Philip encouraged the composition of laude simple devotional pieces ranging from simple motets to something more akin to hymns in both Latin and the vernacular.  These protected against the baseness of contemporary music, and excited hearers and singers to devotion.

In many ways, this tradition has been especially handed on in the English speaking Oratories due to the influence of St John Henry Newman and Fr Wilfred Faber, both well known for composing beautiful hymns. 

Here at the Brisbane Oratory in Formation, the hope we have is to continue in this tradition of emphasising the importance of sacred music. Already we are blessed by many people working towards this goal together, just as St Philip worked with the musicians of his time.

We can also take inspiration from the Second Vatican Council which declared that the musical heritage of the Church, namely Gregorian Chant and Polyphony, are “a treasure of inestimable value, greater even than that of any other art,” and this “the treasure of sacred music is to be preserved and fostered with great care” (SC, 112, 114). Not only this, but the Council encouraged the restoration of the ability for the faithful to join in the singing of the ordinary parts of the Mass in Latin.

Perhaps not to be downplayed as well, is the role that sacred music can play in evangelisation. While the primary purpose of sacred music is the glory of God, sacred music not only inspires the faithful, but also moves towards God those who are outside of the faith. The music itself speaks volumes of the importance we attach to the sacred Liturgy of the Church, and this is not something that goes unnoticed. 

Here at the Brisbane Oratory in Formation, we continue to look to St Philip and the musical tradition of the Oratory for our inspiration and goals. We are blessed to have musicians of a very high calibre as we experience and participate in the treasury of sacred music from Gregorian chant, to sacred polyphony, and traditional hymns with inspiring words, and beautiful and simple tunes. We have the chants of the Vespers Schola and beautiful settings of the Magnificat and a variety of motets. 

I am excited to see how the Brisbane Oratory will continue to promote and contribute towards the sacred music of the Church in the years to come.

Wednesday 15 March | Musical Oratory: Pergolesi's Stabat Mater | 7:00pm MI.

Friday 17 March | St Patrick Masses| 7:00am, 9:00am* MI.

Friday 17 March | St Patrick’s Day Dance| 6:00pm. See our website for tickets.

Saturday 18 March| Gregorian Chant Workshop| 10:30am MI.

Monday 20 March| St Joseph | 9:00am*, 7:00pm High* MI

Wednesday 22 March | Lenten Bible Vigil | 7:30pm MI.

Saturday 25 March | Annunciation of the BVM | 8:30am High* MI.

Sunday 2 April | Palm Sunday Procession | 10:00am High Mass, plus usual Sunday times.

Sunday 16 April | Divine Mercy Devotions | 3:00pm MI.

Thursday 18 May| Ascension of the Lord | 7:00am, 9:00am*, 6:30pm High* MI.

Wednesday 24 May | Our Lady Help of Christians | 6:30am SJF; 9:00am*, 6:30pm High* MI.

Thursday 25 May | Solemn First Vespers of St Philip Neri | 5:30pm MI.

Friday 26 May | St Philip Neri Mass | 7:00am, 10:30am High* MI.

The Stabat Mater is a 13th century hymn to Mary portraying her love, sorrow, and lament, during the crucifixion of her son Jesus. 

Pergolesi's twelve movement setting for soprano and alto soloists, accompanied by strings and continuo, is widely considered his greatest work.

Directed by Warwick Adeney

Soprano Soloist: Madeline Gibbs
Alto Soloist: Eleanor Adeney

with violins, viola, cello, and harpsichord.

A retiring collection will be taken to support the music program of the Brisbane Oratory.

MARY IMMACULATE CHURCH

Spy Wednesday 13 April

7:00pm  Tenebrae*

Maundy Thursday 14 April

7:00pm  High Mass*

10:00pm  Compline*

Exposition until Midnight

Good Friday 15 April

10:00am  Stations of the Cross

3:00pm  The Passion Liturgy High*

Holy Saturday 16 April

9:30pm  MI  Vigil Mass*

Easter Sunday 17 April

7:00am  Low Mass with Hymns*

8:30am  Mass with Hymns

10:00am  High Mass*

5:00pm  Vespers and Benediction

ST JOHN FISHER CHURCH

Maundy Thursday 14 April

7:00pm  Mass

Good Friday 15 April

12:00pm  The Passion Liturgy

Holy Saturday 16 April

5:30pm  Vigil Mass

Easter Sunday 17 April

8:30am  SJF  8:30am

There are many ways for the laity to be involved in our Oratory community. More information is available on our website.

Frassati Young Men: Chaplain: Fr Conor.

Flores Teresianes Young Women: Chaplain: Fr Andrew.

Altar Serving: Br Tyson 3392 9247.

Altar Guild: Flowers, Altar Linens, Brass etc - Br Tyson.

Catholic Enquiry Group: Tuesday Evenings - Br Tyson 3392 9247.

St Monica’s Mothers Prayer Group: Thursdays of School Term 10:00am - Diane Piat 0433 509 428.

Children’s Catechism Classes: Wednesday 3:15pm - 4:00pm - Contact Fr Conor.

Sacraments for Children: contact sacramental_annek@bne.catholic.net.au

Faith Formation Talks: Thursdays 7:30pm and Fridays 10:00am. See Parish Bulletin for days.

Perpetual Exposition at St Elizabeth’s Chapel: 0492 987 132 or adoration.brisbaneoratory@gmail.com

Frassati Verso L’Alto Young Adults:  Mondays after the 7:00pm Mass.

Milites Mariae:  Frassati men’s dinner 4th Thursday of the month at the Norman Hotel.

Mary Immaculate Mixed Choir:  Director: Warwick Adeney 0401 831 087.

Parish Office:  Parish Secretary: Shirley Sadler 3848 1107.